System and method for ensuring accurate reimbursement for travel expenses

Abstract

An Expense Verification System (EVS) checks for fraud and errors in reimbursement requests. The EVS stores requests including reference numbers, and receives travel reservation records from a payment clearinghouse system. Each record includes a reference number and associated reservation data. The EVS selectively denies stored reimbursement requests as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record. Alternatively, the EVS selectively issues an alert as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record. Further, the EVS may parse a received reimbursement request to identify a respective reference number, compare the parsed reference number to the stored reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number, and deny the received reimbursement request if the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number. The EVS may store the received reimbursement request if the parsed reference number does not match a stored reference number.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number;   receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; and   selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reference number comprises an airline ticket number. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting a canceled status of the travel reservation, the canceled status reflecting that the travel reservation has been canceled;   parse the travel reservation record having a canceled status to identify a parsed reference number;   compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and   issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied;   wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number for a travel reservation record having a status identifier reflecting a canceled status.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting an exchanged status of the travel reservation, the exchanged status reflecting that the travel reservation has been exchanged for another travel reservation;   parse the travel reservation record having a canceled status to identify a parsed reference number;   compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and   issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied;   wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number for a travel reservation record having a status identifier reflecting an exchanged status.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting a refunded status of the travel reservation, the refunded status reflecting that a payment for the travel reservation has been refunded;   parse the travel reservation record having an refunded status to identify a parsed reference number;   compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and   issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied;   wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number for a travel reservation record having a status identifier reflecting a refunded status if a reimbursement payment has not already been issued to the traveler for the reimbursement request associated with the matching reference number.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 issue an exception alert triggering correction action if the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number and a reimbursement payment has already been issued to the traveler for the reimbursement request associated with the matching reference number.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 parse the travel reservation record to identify an associated payment amount reflecting an amount paid for the travel reservation;   parse the travel reservation record to identify a parsed reference number associated with the amount paid;   compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and   issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied;   wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number if the parsed amount paid is not no less than a requested reimbursement amount of the stored reimbursement request.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 store in the memory a plurality of payment account identifiers for accounts owned by a company;   parse the travel reservation record to identify an associated payment account identifier identifying a payment account used to pay for the travel reservation;   parse the travel reservation record to identify a parsed reference number associated with the payment account identifier;   compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and   issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied;   wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number if the parsed payment account identifier matches a stored payment account identifier.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 store in the memory a plurality of payment account identifiers for accounts owned by a traveler;   parse the travel reservation record to identify an associated payment account identifier identifying a payment account used to pay for the travel reservation;   parse the travel reservation record to identify a parsed reference number associated with the payment account identifier;   compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and   issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied;   wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number if the parsed payment account identifier does not match a stored payment account identifier.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 store in the memory a rule for conditional reimbursement of a travel reservation expense in accordance with a policy, as a function of reservation characteristics;   parse the travel reservation record to identify a parsed reference number and an associated reservation characteristic;   compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and   issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied;   wherein the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to selectively deny at least one stored reimbursement request as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record comprises denying each stored reimbursement request having a stored reference number matching a parsed reference number if the stored rule does not permit reimbursement in view of the parsed reservation characteristic.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the parsed reservation characteristic is selected from a group consisting of: a fare basis, an airline carrier and a reservation price. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number;   receive, via a communications network, a travel reservation record transmitted from a payment clearinghouse system, the record comprising a reference number and associated reservation data; and   issue an alert as a function of data contained in the travel reservation record received from the payment clearinghouse system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting a used status of the travel reservation, the used status reflecting that the travel reservation has been used;   parse the travel reservation record having a used status to identify a parsed reference number;   compare the parsed referenced number to the stored plurality of reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number; and   issue an exception alert triggering corrective action if the parsed reference number does not match a stored reference number.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , the method further comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 store in the memory a rule for determining an expiration date of a travel reservation as a function of a payment transaction date for the travel reservation;   parse the travel reservation record to identify a status identifier reflecting an unused status of the travel reservation;   parse the travel reservation record having an unused status to identify an associated payment transaction date;   determine an associated expiration date for the travel reservation as a function of the parsed payment transaction date in accordance with the stored rule; and   issue an exception alert triggering corrective action if the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number.   
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses by a computerized expense verification system comprising at least a processor and a memory operatively connected to the processor, the method comprising the computerized expense verification system operating the processor under control of processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:
 store in the memory a plurality of reimbursement requests for travel reservations, each reimbursement request comprising a respective reference number;   receive a reimbursement request including a respective reference number;   parse the received reimbursement request to identify the respective reference number;   compare the parsed reference number to the stored reimbursement requests to determine whether the parsed reference number matches a stored reference number;   store the received reimbursement request in the memory if the parsed reference number does not match a stored reference number;   deny the received reimbursement request if the parsed reference number does match a stored reference number; and   issue a denial alert if at least one reimbursement request is denied.   
     
     
         16 . A computer program product for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses, the computer program product comprising:
 a tangible computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause a computerized expense verification system to carry out the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         17 . A computer program product for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses, the computer program product comprising:
 a tangible computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause a computerized expense verification system to carry out the method of  claim 12 .   
     
     
         18 . A computer program product for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses, the computer program product comprising:
 a tangible computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause a computerized expense verification system to carry out the method of  claim 15 .   
     
     
         19 . An expense verification system for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory operatively connected to the processor for communication therewith; and   processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the expense verification system to carry out the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         20 . An expense verification system for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory operatively connected to the processor for communication therewith; and   processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the expense verification system to carry out the method of  claim 12 .   
     
     
         21 . An expense verification system for ensuring accurate reimbursement of travel expenses, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory operatively connected to the processor for communication therewith; and   processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to cause the expense verification system to carry out the method of  claim 15 .